Nacogdoches Sheriff’s Department Charges Pair for January Homicide

According to a release from the Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Department, two people that are currently incarcerated in the Nacogdoches County Jail have been charged with the Murder of Thomas Sluterbeck, 43.

The investigation began on Monday, January 8th when the Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to Gravel Ridge Cemetery on FM 225 around 6 pm. The victim was found inside the cemetery and had been shot multiple times. The victim was pronounced deceased at the location. Sheriff Investigators and Texas Rangers were dispatched to the scene. Valuable evidence to the crime was collected at the scene.

The victim was not identified until Tuesday January 9th with the aid of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Using facial recognition, DPS was able to give investigators a positive identification of the victim. Within hours after identifying the victim, law enforcement was able to locate the victim’s vehicle and the suspects’ vehicle parked at a residence on highway 259. Law enforcement obtained two search warrants for both vehicles and they were impounded and held at the sheriff office to be processed and searched.

While at the residence, two key suspects were identified and both subjects were brought to the Sheriff Office to be interviewed. Both subjects were later released and neither subject cooperated with the investigation.

Late Tuesday Night, the Sheriff Office executed another search warrant on a residence in Rusk County where one of the suspects lived. Evidence was collected at the scene that further implicated the suspects in the murder case. Investigators also found several grams of methamphetamine inside the residence.

On Wednesday morning, January 10th, 2018 Sheriff Bridges and Texas Ranger Hicks conducted another interview with one of the suspects, Cassidy Fuqua. Fuqua gave details of what had occurred that led to the victim’s death and implicated herself in the crime. A warrant was obtained for Fuqua’s arrest for the offense of Tampering or fabricating with physical evidence a 3rd felony. She was booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail where she has remained.

Investigators also obtained a warrant for the other suspect in the case Jason Harvey Lee for Possession of a controlled substance. Lee was also arrested on January 10. When lee was arrested, deputies found more methamphetamine in his possession. Lee was booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail on two charges for POCS and has remained in jail since that time.

With both subjects in jail, and no further threat to the public, investigators began to focus on other aspects of the investigation to build the case. During the investigation, investigators have found and obtained enough evidence and probable cause to charge both suspects. Investigators have identified a motive for the murder as well.

At 2:30 pm, February 2nd, murder warrants were issued for Jason Harvey Lee, 37, from Mt. Enterprise and Cassidy Jewel Fuqua, 20, from Nacogdoches. Both subjects have been booked in at the Nacogdoches County Jail on the new charges. They are awaiting arraignment and bond to be set.